Agricultural  Vocations 


The  M.  A.  C.  Bulletin 

AMHERST,  MASS. 

W 

Volume  VI  March  1914  Number  3 


Chapel  and  Library 


Published  Six  Times  a Year  by  the 
MASSACHUSETTS  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

January,  February,  March,  May,  September,  October 

Entered  as  second  class  matter  at  the  Post  Office,  Amherst,  Mass. 


East  Side  of  the  Campus 


Foreword 


NTIL  comparatively  recent  years  few  men  ambitious  for 
a college  course  supposed  that  they  could  find  a satisfy- 
ing career  in  connection  with  agriculture.  Today,  the 
call  for  men  to  serve  in  varied  and  important  places  in 
the  agricultural  field  is  beyond  the  ability  of  the  agri- 
cultural colleges  to  supply.  These  pages  are  intended 
to  outline  some  of  the  most  attractive  and  significant  of  these  new 
openings  for  able  young  men,  and  to  advise  with  reference  to  the 
educational  training  necessary. 

Not  long  ago  the  writer  of  a book  about  college  life  and  work 
stated  that  the  main  business  of  the  college  is  to  train  “problem- 
solvers.”  I like  the  words.  They  suggest  definite  work  to  be  done  in 
the  world,  big  work,  hard  work,  useful  work.  They  appeal  to  men  of 
force  and  will,  and  to  men  who  want  to  make  their  lives  count  not 
alone  for  themselves,  but  for  the  world’s  welfare.  So  I like  to  think 
that  the  main  mission  of  the  modern  agricultural  college  is  to  train 
men  to  become  rural  problem-solvers.  And  now  these  problems  keep 
arising  — knotty,  interesting,  important  problems  of  human  wealth 
and  welfare  that  can  be  solved  only  by  men  — trained  men. 

There  are  the  practical  problems  of  producing  adequate  food  for 
the  city  dwellers,  of  making  farming  “pay”  by  the  use  of  modern 
methods.  A rapidly  increasing  number  of  agricultural  college  gradu- 
ates are  ambitious  to  prove  that  practical  agriculture  - — right  here 
in  New  England,  too  — offers  a real  career  for  a brainy,  alert,  am- 
bitious, college  man.  And  they  are  proving  it. 

There  are  the  problems  of  farm  business,  farm  management,  buy- 
ing and  selling  to  advantage.  Men  who  have  the  business  instinct 
are  finding  in  this  field  problems  “worthy  their  steel.”  There  are  big 
economic  problems  to  be  solved:  rural  credit,  farm  labor,  the  great 
tenant-farming  question.  There  are  engineering  problems : irrigation, 
machinery,  use  of  power,  roads,  public  sanitation. 

There  are  social  and  moral  problems:  making  better  schools, 
the  education  of  adult  farmers,  the  building  up  of  the  country  church 
to  its  rightful  place  of  leadership,  the  fascinating  work  of  the  rural 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Association,  the  recreative  side  of  rural  life, 


3 


rural  home  life  and  district  nursing  for  women,  and  the  wonderful 
fields  of  scientific  investigation. 

These  are  but  hints  of  the  great  and  increasing  multitude  of  rural 
problems  to  be  solved.  Their  solution  is  vital,  not  alone  to  our 
country-life  involving  its  fifty  millions  of  people,  and  to  our  largest 
industry  with  its  forty  billions  of  invested  wealth,  but  vital  also  to  the 
national  prosperity  and  welfare. 

The  solution  of  these  interesting  and  important  problems  awaits 
the  problem-solvers  — the  rural-problem-solvers.  They  are  coming 
out  of  our  agricultural  colleges  every  year  in  greater  numbers.  They 
are  finding  fascinating  opportunities,  fair  financial  reward,  a chance  to 
“lend  a hand”  in  building  our  American  life,  and  no  end  of  good 
hearty  work  for  full-blooded  men.  This  work  is  not  for  all  men.  It 
means  accurate  knowledge  of  rural  affairs,  the  willingness  to  work 
hard,  the  desire  to  serve,  the  belief  in  the  importance  of  the  task.  For 
men  who  hear  the  call,  to  become  rural-problem-solvers,  the  fields  are 
white  already  unto  harvest. 

KENYON  L.  BUTTERFIELD, 

President  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College. 


A 


Farm  and  Farm  Buildings 


Agronomy 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  peculiarly  well  located 
for  the  study  of  soils,  and  for  the  study  of  different  forms  of  agri- 
culture in  their  effects  on  soil  fertility.  According  to  the  survey  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  there  are  located  in  the 
Connecticut  Valley  fourteen  distinct  soil  types.  Twelve  of  these  are 
within  easy  walking  distance  of  the  college,  and  are  studied  in  those 
courses  given  by  the  department  of  agronomy.  On  these  several 
types  of  soil  are  found  many  different  forms  of  agriculture,  varying 
from  those  semi-abandoned  farms  which  were  allowed  to  run  wild 
after  grain  production  became  unprofitable  half  a century  ago,  and 
now  in  some  cases  being  taken  up  for  orcharding,  to  well-developed 
dairy  and  general  farms,  and  to  intensively  cultivated  onion  and 
tobacco  farms.  Since  there  are  in  this  region  no  extensive  grain  and 
stock  farms,  students  specializing  in  agronomy  are  advised  to  spend 
at  least  one  summer  before  graduation  on  a farm  of  this  kind  in  some 
one  of  the  middle  western  states. 

The  aim  of  the  college  through  its  department  of  agronomy  is  to 
train  teachers  and  investigators  in  soil  fertility  and  crop  production. 
The  subject  is  now  usually  separated  into  two  parts,  so  that  there  are 
two  distinct  groups  of  requirements  for  the  trained  agronomist:  for 
specialists  in  soil  fertility,  which  requires  a working  knowledge  of 
geology,  chemistry,  and  soil  microbiology;  and  for  specialists  in  crop 


5 


production  particularly  as  related  to  the  great  staple  food,  forage,  and 
fibre  crops,  requiring  a basic  knowledge  of  chemistry,  botany,  plant 
pathology,  and  plant  breeding.  Both  sub-divisions  require  the  fullest 
farm  experience  on  the  part  of  the  student  so  that  it  is  advisable,  in 
case  one  has  not  had  the  benefit  of  such  training,  that  he  obtain  it  as 
quickly  and  as  thoroughly  as  possible  — preferably  before  he  enters 
the  college.  Moreover,  since  the  amount  of  scientific  knowledge 
required  is  large,  the  student  choosing  agronomy  must  have  a natural 
love  for  the  sciences  and  must  be  willing  later  on  to  do  enough  post- 
graduate work  to  perfect  his  preparation  in  his  chosen  branch  of  the 
subject. 

The  demand  for  men  comes  mainly  from  the  different  state  ex- 
periment stations,  from  the  fertilizer  companies,  and  from  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture.  The  field  is  developing  so  rapidly 
that  there  is  a growing  demand  for  highly  trained  men,  but  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  get  this  training  within  the  limits  of  a four  years’  course. 
Graduate  work  will  usually  be  necessary  before  the  student  can  fill 
the  larger  and  better  paid  positions. 

Since  agronomy  concerns  itself  chiefly  with  the  underlying 
principles  governing  crop  production,  it  is  not  an  end  in  itself  and 
those  students  desiring  to  prepare  themselves  for  a practical  vocation 
are  advised  to  elect  considerable  work  in  other  agricultural  depart- 
ments of  the  college. 


College  Live  Stock 


6 


Animal  Husbandry 


The  animal  husbandry  department  of  the  Massachusetts  Agri- 
cultural College  endeavors  to  insure  a scientific  yet  practical  training 
in  the  various  lines  of  work  pertaining  to  the  successful  production  of 
live  stock  and  to  the  successful  management  of  farms  devoted  to  live 
stock  production.  The  students  are  given  lectures  and  laboratory 
work  relating  to  the  market  grades  and  classes  of  horses,  cattle,  sheep, 
and  swine.  This  is  followed  by  a study  of  the  origin,  history,  adapta- 
tions, and  the  type  of  the  various  breeds  of  stock,  especially  of  dairy 
cattle,  draft  horses,  sheep,  and  swine.  This  instruction  is  accom- 
panied by  the  study  of  representatives  of  the  various  breeds  supple- 
mented by  visits  to  herds  of  superior  cattle.  Animal  nutrition,  the 
composition  of  feed  stuffs  and  their  characteristics  and  uses  are  fully 
studied;  likewise  the  feeding,  care,  housing,  and  management  of 
horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  swine,  emphasis  being  given  to  the  raising 
of  young  stock,  the  care  of  breeding  stock,  ecomonic  milk  production, 
profitable  pork  production,  the  possibilities  of  beef  making,  and  the 
breeding  and  feeding  of  work  stock.  The  development  of  the  various 
breeds  of  live  stock  in  America  is  reviewed  with  a study  of  the  methods 
of  breeding  and  management  of  the  most  successful  breeders.  Prin- 
ciples and  practices  of  breeding  are  studied  and  application  made  of 
the  most  recent  achievements  of  the  research  laboratories  of  the 
country  in  their  bearing  upon  live  stock  production. 

Combined  with  these  specific  animal  studies  are  those  in  the 
handling  of  milk,  the  production  of  crops,  the  study  and  management 
of  the  soil,  and  farm  management.  The  broader  experience  which 
many  students  need,  however,  cannot  be  given  in  a college  course. 
To  meet  this  need  the  animal  husbandry  department  arranges  for 
summer  work  upon  superior  live  stock  farms. 

The  courses  as  here  outlined  are  intended  to  prepare  men  for  the 
successful  production  of  live  stock  and  live  stock  products  upon  farms 
of  their  own;  this  is  the  main  purpose  of  the  course  and  herein  lies  the 
greatest  opportunity.  Men  who  have  completed  this  major,  with 
the  summer  work  accompanying  it,  are  equipped  to  be  efficient  herds- 
men and  breeders,  and  after  devoting  a year  or  two  as  assistants  to 
good  managers  they  should  be  fit  for  responsible  managerial  positions. 


7 


The  field  for  capable  live  stock  men  has  never  offered  greater 
opportunities.  Better  prices  never  prevailed  for  superior  pure  bred 
stock  or  for  live  stock  products.  For  the  young  man  who  knows  type, 
who  can  breed  and  feed  to  Secure  high  economic  production  and  to 
perpetuate  it  through  successive  generations,  a place  of  wide  influence 
and  distinctive  service  with  its  financial  accessories  is  waiting.  Busi- 
ness and  professional  men  more  and  more  are  making  their  homes  in 
agricultural  sections  and  instituting  in  connection  with  them  live 
stock  farms;  these  men  must  secure  capable  and  efficient  managers 
and  foremen.  Massachusetts  needs  more  milk  of  higher  quality  — 
more  milch  cows  of  superior  individuality;  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars  are  spent  every  year  by  the  State  for  western  work  horses, 
beef,  pork,  and  mutton;  thousands  of  acres  are  growing  to  brush  that 
might  be  producing  the  finest  meats.  Surely  here  are  real  opportuni- 
ties for  the  college  trained  man  of  knowledge  and  skill  in  practice. 

In  addition  to  the  practical  vocations,  there  is  an  increasing 
demand  for  men  who  can  teach  the  fundamentals  pertaining  to  live 
stock  in  colleges  and  agricultural  high  schools.  There  is  a growing 
demand  for  men  who  can  assume  positions  of  leadership  in  county 
and  township  organizations  where  the  work  consists  in  improving  the 
live  stock  industries  and  the  agricultural  pursuits  of  the  population. 
Experiment  stations  call  for  many  men  for  the  investigation  and 
discovery  of  principles  and  the  advancement  of  the  sciences  in  re- 
lation to  the  feeding  and  breeding  of  live  stock. 

Additional  opportunities  for  profitable  employment  lie  in  govern- 
mental employ;  each  year  sees  new  lines  of  work  instituted  by  the 
national  government  as  well  as  expansion  of  old.  For  the  direction 
and  prosecution  of  this  work  college  men  are  especially  fitted  and 
largely  utilized. 

Thus,  whether  a man  wishes  to  serve  and  achieve  success  upon 
his  own  resources  privately,  or  in  a public  capacity  as  teacher  in 
county,  state  or  other  institutions,  or  as  an  investigator,  there  is 
abundance  of  opportunity  in  animal  husbandry. 


8 


Flint  Laboratory  — Dairy  Instruction  Building 


Dairying 

The  dairy  department  at  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Col- 
lege gives  instruction  in  the  handling  of  milk,  and  in  the  making  of 
dairy  products.  Instruction  concerning  dairy  cattle,  as  to  selection, 
breeding,  and  feeding  is  given  by  the  animal  husbandry  department. 
There  is  a close  relationship  between  these  two  subjects  in  New  Eng- 
land, and  there  is  a close  relationship  between  the  two  departments 
in  fitting  men  to  handle  the  problems  as  found  on  the  New  England 
dairy  farms.  Probably  the  most  attractive  opportunities  today  in 
dairying  are  for  men  who  fit  themselves  to  work  either  for  themselves 
or  as  superintendents  for  others.  Men  desiring  to  do  this  should 
remember  that  their  agricultural  college  is  engaged  primarily  in 
giving  theoretical  training,  and  that  a man  must  secure  practical 
experience  under  competent  managers  before  securing  the  best  posi- 
tions. 

A particular  line  of  work  that  is  now  developing  is  for  supervisors 
in  county  work  and  teaching  in  agricultural  high  schools.  Men  who 
are  now  engaged  in  this  work  emphasize  the  need  of  dairy  knowledge 
and  experience,  as  so  much  of  our  New  England  farming  is  for  milk, 
cream,  and  butter  production. 


9 


In  addition  there  is  a field  for  a limited  number  of  men  for  college 
teachers,  experiment  station  workers,  and  in  work  for  the  large  milk 
handling  and  dairy  products  manufacturing  companies. 

The  dairy  department  is  now  using  Flint  Laboratory,  the 
new  instruction  building,  which  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  dairy 
instruction  plants  in  the  country.  Certified  milk  is  produced  on  the 
college  farm;  the  certified  plant  is  used  for  instructional  purposes. 


Dairy  Barn 


Farm  Management 

There  are  four  important  factors  that  have  an  influence  on  success 
in  farming  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States.  They  are  (i) 
training  or  knowledge  of  the  business;  (2)  practical  experience;  (3) 
capital;  (4)  a fondness  for  country  life.  The  agricultural  college  can 
help  supply  only  the  first  of  these,  while  the  second  and  third  are 
equally  as  important  for  the  success  of  agricultural  enterprises.  Even 
with  all  these  factors  present  farming  does  not  offer  the  best  means 
for  acquiring  great  wealth.  It  does,  however,  in  a unique  fashion, 
provide  opportunity  for  a safe  investment,  a good  living,  a good  home, 
the  exercise  of  influence  and  leadership,  and  the  well-balanced  use  of 
both  mental  and  physical  abilities.  For  those  students  who  do  not 
wish  to  become  independent  operators,  there  is  a fairly  steady  demand 
for  well-trained  men  with  practical  experience  as  farm  superintendents 


10 


and  managers.  There  are  also  in  New  England  many  farms  and 
estates  owned  by  wealthy  men  for  recreation  or  as  summer  homes, 
that  call  for  competent  supervision. 

The  organization  of  separate  departments  of  farm  administration 
or  farm  management  in  the  agricultural  colleges  of  the  country  is 
comparatively  recent  and  for  some  time  to  come  there  is  likely  to  be  a 
demand  for  good  teachers  of  this  subject.  The  present  demand  for 
more  extension  and  demonstration  work  and  the  establishment  of 
farm  bureaus  and  county  advisers  all  over  the  country  also  offers  in- 
creased opportunities  for  well-trained  men.  In  all  these  departments 
practical  experience  is  essential  to  success,  and  the  student  who  in- 
tends to  specialize  in  farm  management  should  take  every  oppor- 
tunity that  occurs  of  working  on  good  farms,  whether  it  be  before, 
during,  or  after  his  college  course. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  well  prepared  to 
supply  the  necessary  training  for  general  agriculture  and  for  farm 
management.  Instruction  is  given  in  farm  accounting,  dairying, 
animal  husbandry,  poultry  husbandry,  fruit  growing,  soils,  fertilizers, 
and  crops.  Its  large  farm  equipped  with  modern  buildings,  its  poultry 
plant,  dairy,  and  orchards,  present  great  opportunities  for  acquiring 
a comprehensive  knowledge  of  farming. 


Poultry  Husbandry 

Probably  no  state  in  the  Union  offers  opportunities  in  poultry 
culture  comparable  with  those  in  Massachusetts.  In  the  first  place 
here  are  the  best  markets  in  the  country.  We  have  easy  access  to  the 
great  eastern  commercial  centers  of  Boston  and  New  York.  Further- 
more, being  situated  outside  of  the  great  egg-producing  sections  of 
the  country,  competition  must  come  from  a considerable  distance. 

Compared  with  some  sections  of  the  country,  the  climate  in 
Massachusetts  is  very  favorable  to  poultry  culture.  There  are  neither 
the  severe  winters  nor  the  hot  summers.  The  moderate  climate  en- 
ables us  to  secure  hatchable  eggs  early  in  the  season  — a fact  which 
results  in  Massachusetts  leading  the  market  in  all  kinds  of  poultry 
products. 


i 


The  soil  in  this  state  is  almost  ideal  for  poultry  keeping.  A light, 
sandy  or  gravelly  loam  is  much  better  than  the  soils  found  in  the 
middle  west  or  in  the  southern  part  of  our  country.  Rains  can  easily 
cleanse  light,  sandy  soils  and  keep  them  in  good  condition  for  poultry 
year  after  year,  providing  we  do  our  part  in  the  way  of  cultivation. 
Moreover,  land  in  Massachusetts  is  fairly  cheap,  and  this  enables  one 
to  start  a poultry  farm  with  very  little  capital. 

Again,  the  fact  that  meat  is  gradually  increasing  in  price  and 
becoming  scarce,  and  the  fact  that  egg  consumption  is  on  the  increase 
means  that  for  years  to  come  poultry  and  eggs  will  demand  a high 
price  and  should  yield  a good  profit  to  one  who  understands  poultry 
keeping. 

There  is  another  advantage  that  the  poultrymen  of  this  section 
have  over  those  in  other  parts  of  the  country:  the  people  of  Massa- 
chusetts demand  poultry  and  eggs  of  excellent  quality,  which  means 
that  over-production  in  certain  parts  of  the  country  does  not  affect 
the  prices  of  home  products. 

For  those  who  wish  to  manage  poultry  farms  for  other  people,  or 
become  instructors  in  agricultural  colleges  and  schools,  or  investi- 
gators at  experiment  stations,  the  opportunities  are  practically  un- 
limited. 

During  the  past  few  years  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College 
has  given  particular  attention  to  the  development  of  its  department 
of  poultry  husbandry.  It  now  has  one  of  the  best  departments  in. the 
country,  offering  a broad  training  in  the  practice  as  well  as  in  the 
theory  of  poultry  husbandry.  Instruction  is  given  in  practically 
every  phase  of  the  industry,  including  hatching,  brooding,  feeding, 
general  management,  judging,  and  marketing  poultry  and  poultry 
products. 


Poultry  Plant 


12 


French  Hall  — Floriculture,  Forestry,  and  Market  Gardening 


Floriculture 


Massachusetts  agriculture  is  characterized  by  intensive  special- 
ties. One  of  the  most  typical  of  these  is  the  growing  and  selling  of 
ornamental  plants  and  cut  flowers.  This  work  is  carried  on  largely 
under  glass,  but  with  every  extensive  greenhouse  planting  there  is 
more  or  less  work  in  the  open  ground.  The  cultivation  of  ornamental 
plants  in  gardens  also  has  considerable  importance  throughout  New 
England  and  the  professional  gardeners  are  expected  to  have  a knowl- 
edge of  this  branch  also. 

In  all  these  various  lines  there  are  openings  for  many  men,  and  as 
the  work  requires  great  skill,  trained  men  are  obviously  more  valuable 
than  untrained  men.  In  no  line  of  work  is  the  combination  of  scien- 
tific education  and  practical  skill  more  important.  In  other  words, 
the  successful  man  needs  not  only  practical  experience,  but  also  the 
most  thorough  education  he  can  possibly  receive. 

It  is  fair  to  say  that  the  greatest  profits  in  eastern  agriculture 
are  to  be  found  in  the  most  intensive  specialties  and  that,  for  the 
amount  of  land  used  and  money  invested,  floriculture  is  one  of  the 


13 


best.  While  the  largest  opportunities  are  open  to  men  who  engage  in 
this  line  of  work  for  themselves,  there  are  also  many  chances  for 
young  men  to  hire  out  to  others  already  established  in  business.  As 
the  production  and  selling  of  flowers  and  the  care  of  gardens  requires 
a great  amount  of  labor,  these  opportunities  to  work  for  wages  must 
necessarily  be  very  numerous. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  equipped  to  supply 
the  training  in  the  science  of  floriculture.  Its  extensive  system  of 
greenhouses  offers  ample  opportunity  for  the  observation  of  proper 
methods  of  greenhouse  management  and  construction.  For  several 
years  the  department  has  been  developed  by  one  of  the  leading 
teachers  of  floriculture  in  this  country.  A careful  study  is  made  of 
the  methods  of  raising  the  various  greenhouse  plants;  this  includes 
propagation,  transplanting,  fertilizing,  fumigating,  spraying,  and 
watering.  Instruction  is  also  given,  and  practice  required,  in  gather- 
ing, storing,  and  marketing  flowers. 


Forestry1 

The  field  of  activity  for  properly  trained  foresters  is  so  broad  and 
varied  that  no  one  can  hope  to  become  an  expert  in  every  branch  of 
this  subject.  It  is  expedient  therefore  for  the  student  to  specialize 
in  one  or  more  phases  as  soon  as  he  determines  which  branch  he 
prefers,  or  rather,  for  which  branch  he  is  best  fitted.  The  various 
specialties  in  which  forestry  students  have  successfully  engaged  in- 
clude logging  engineering,  milling  engineering,  timber  cruising  and 
estimating,  consulting  forestry,  Federal  and  state  government  for- 
estry, commercial  forest  tree  nurseries,  and  city  forestry. 

Logging  engineering  comprises  the  business  of  harvesting  the 
forests.  It  includes  the  falling  of  trees  and  cutting  them  into  proper 
log  lengths;  hauling  the  logs  to  local  centers  — that  is,  either  to  the 
mill  or  to  the  logging  railroad  and  there  loading  them  on  cars.  This 
work  requires  sufficient  civil  engineering  skill  to  survey  and  map 
extensive  areas  of  forest  land,  to  locate  and  build  logging  railroads, 
wagon  roads,  bridges,  and  dams.  It  also  requires  sufficient  mechanical 
skill  to  superintend  the  installation  and  operation  of  upright  and 
horizontal  stationary  and  portable  steam  engines. 

1 For  a more  exhaustive  discussion  of  the  possibilities  of  this  profession  the  prospective  student  is 
referred  to  Forest  Service  Circular  207,  entitled  “The  Profession  of  Forestry”  by  United  States  Chief 
Forester,  Henry  S.  Graves.  This  may  be  had  free  upon  application  to  the  United  States  Forest  Service, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


14 


Milling  engineering  is  the  business  of  sawing  the  logs  into  lumber 
and  either  storing  the  lumber  in  yards  or  loading  it  on  cars  for  ship- 
ment to  market.  It  requires  sufficient  skill  to  install  and  operate  the 
usual  saw  mill  machinery. 

Lumber  estimating  and  cruising  comprises  the  business  of  locat- 
ing merchantable  forests,  estimating  the  quantity  of  timber  they 
contain,  and  judging  the  quality  of  the  timber.  It  necessitates  ex- 
tensive trips  into  forest  regions  not  easily  accessible  and  is  apt  to 
call  for  unusual  physical  endurance. 

Consulting  forestry  consists  in  advising  about,  making  plans  for, 
administering,  and  executing  forestry  work  of  all  kinds  for  private 
owners  of  timbered  lands.  Before  success  can  be  assured  considerable 
previous  experience  is  necessary  and  the  degree  of  success  depends 
largely  on  the  extent  of  the  reputation  of  the  consulting  forester. 

State  and  government  forestry  represents  a very  broad  field, 
embracing  the  entire  United  States  inclusive  of  Alaska  and  the  island 
possessions.  This  may  be  largely  field  work  or  it  may  be  almost 
entirely  office  work;  it  may  require  a high  degree  of  technical  skill 
along  special  lines  or  it  may  call  for  general  executive  ability. 

Commercial  forest  tree  nursery  work  comprises  the  business  of 
growing  forest  trees  in  large  quantities  in  nurseries  to  be  sold  to  any 
one  who  wishes  to  buy  them.  Frequently  it  includes  also  the  render- 
ing of  services  in  connection  with  the  actual  planting  of  the  trees  sold. 

City  forestry  is  the  business  of  setting  out  and  caring  for  city 
trees  and  woodlands.  This  vocation  also  includes  the  preparation 
of  extensive  plans  for  city  beautification  and  the  management  and 
care  of  city  parks  and  public  gardens. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  not  prepared  to  give 
its  students  an  exhaustive  training  in  forestry.  It  does,  however,  give 
sufficient  instruction  to  afford  a general  insight  into  the  profession, 
and  prepares  men  to  manage  intelligently  the  less  difficult  problems. 
Moreover,  for  those  intending  to  specialize  in  forestry  at  some  of  the 
schools  for  advanced  study,  this  institution  offers  an  admirable  basic 
training  through  courses  in  its  departments  of  botany,  entomology, 
floriculture,  forestry,  landscape  gardening,  and  chemistry. 


15 


Landscape  Gardening 


Private  and  public  gardens  are  being  established  very  rapidly 
throughout  the  United  States.  Practically  every  city  now  has  ex- 
tensive public  parks,  and  large  parks  are  also  being  established  by 
various  states,  counties,  and  even  by  small  towns.  Such  parks  must 
be  designed  by  highly  trained  men  and  the  construction  must  also  be 
carried  out  by  men  of  special  skill  and  experience.  When  it  is  con- 
sidered that  there  are  literally  thousands  of  these  public  parks  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  private  estates  to  be  designed,  Constructed 
and  maintained,  it  will  be  seen  that  there  are  opportunities  for 
employment  for  a good  many  properly  trained  men. 

Young  men  just  out  of  college  usually  find  employment  in  park 
construction  or  maintenance,  or  in  construction  work  carried  on  by 
active  landscape  gardeners.  A few  of  them  are  employed  in  the  work 
of  designing  and  drafting.  Eventually,  as  they  acquire  experience, 
men  who  are  adapted  to  the  profession  are  enabled  to  set  up  in  busi- 
ness for  themselves.  In  this  way  the  field  is  open  for  reasonable 
progress  to  men  who  have  the  ability,  the  courage,  and  the  industry 
to  keep  themselves  at  the  front. 

At  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  the  plan  of  instruc- 
tion embodies  the  careful  study  of  the  scientific  principles  underlying 
the  art  of  landscape  gardening,  the  study  of  numerous  planting  designs 
by  the  most  noted  landscape  architects  of  the  country,  drawing,  field 
work  in  surveying  and  mapping,  the  preparation  of  planting  plans 
for  specific  parks,  gardens  or  estates,  and  a study  of  trees,  shrubs,  and 
other  plants  used  in  ornamental  gardening. 


6 


Wilder  Hall — Landscape  Gardening  and  Pomology 


Market  Gardening 

The  distinctive  character  of  modern  agriculture  is  specialization. 
General  farming  still  has  its  merits,  but  the  intensive  cultivation  of 
special  crops  is  apt  to  be  more  profitable.  In  New  England,  in  par- 
ticular, this  principle  of  specialization  is  being  applied  with  con- 
spicuous success.  And  amongst  all  the  lines  of  intensive  agriculture 
market  gardening  takes  a very  high  place  — perhaps  indeed  the  first 
place.  The  market  gardeners  are  everywhere  taking  the  lead  in  adopt- 
ing the  most  advanced  methods  of  cultivation,  irrigation,  fertiliza- 
tion, and  marketing.  In  many  districts  they  are  resorting  to  the  use 
of  greenhouses  for  the  production  of  winter  and  spring  vegetables. 
In  fact  all  the  popular  vegetables  are  now  produced  under  glass  in  our 
climate,  not  in  small  quantities,  but  by  hundreds  of  tons  annually. 

Market  gardening,  whether  conducted  out  of  doors  or  under 
glass,  has  two  of  the  qualities  belonging  to  intensive  agriculture  every- 
where: (i)  it  requires  the  highest  skill  and  the  best  training,  and  (2) 
it  is  capable  of  yielding  the  highest  returns.  The  market  gardener 
almost  more  than  any  other  tiller  of  the  soil  can  afford  to  invest  in  the 
most  expensive  land  and  the  costliest  farm  fixtures.  Equally  he  can 


7 


afford  to  invest  in  the  very  best  training  for  his  calling.  The  men  who 
have  the  widest  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  modern  scientific 
agriculture  as  taught  in  the  agricultural  colleges  coupled  with  the  best 
practical  experience  are  the  ones  who  are  sure  to  win  the  largest 
success. 

Opportunities  for  market  gardening  in  Massachusetts  are  prac- 
tically unlimited.  This  section  does  not  produce  more  than  a small 
fraction  of  the  vegetables  consumed,  and  probably  never  will.  There 
are  thousands  of  acres  of  excellent  garden  soil  selling  at  relatively 
low  figures  and  yet  conveniently  near  unexcelled  markets. 

Besides  these  splendid  openings  for  practical  enterprise  in  market 
gardening  there  is  a strong  demand  for  competent  men  to  fill  salaried 
positions  in  teaching,  experimental  work,  and  the  like.  The  pay  is 
good  in  these  positions,  and  this  field  appeals  to  some  who  do  not  find 
it  possible  to  go  into  business  for  themselves. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  a potent  factor  in 
preparing  young  men  for  successful  careers  in  market  gardening;  a 
portion  of  its  estate  is  devoted  to  the  production  of  market  gardening 
crops.  By  courses  of  instruction  offered  in  the  departments  of 
agronomy,  botany,  and  entomology,  as  well  as  market  gardening,  the 
student  has  superior  advantages  in  familiarizing  himself  with  the 
sciences  which  affect  most  closely  the  market  gardening  industry. 


Practice  in  Market  Gardening 


18 


Pomology 


There  are  four  general  departments  of  work  which  present  them- 
selves to  young  men  who  are  proficient  in  the  science  and  practice  of 
pomology. 

First  and  best,  there  are  excellent  opportunities  to  engage  in  fruit 
growing.  For  the  right  man  in  the  right  place  there  is  perhaps  no 
branch  of  farming  that  promises  better  returns.  Where  a young  man 
has  the  necessary  capital  this  is  the  line  of  work  above  all  others  in 
pomology  that  the  department  would  like  to  see  its-graduates  elect. 
There  is  talk  in  certain  quarters  of  over-production,  but  the  day  is 
certainly  far  distant  when  first  class  fruit  will  not  command  a good 
price. 

Second,  there  are  always  a number  of  positions  for  young  men  of 
training  and  experience  as  managers  of  fruit  farms.  It  must  not  be 
expected  that  a young  man  without  any  practical  experience  can  fill 
such  a position,  but  the  man  who  knows  not  only  the  scientific  prin- 
ciples but  also  the  practical  details  of  orchard  work,  and  who  is 
capable  of  handling  men  and  producing  results,  can,  almost  without 
exception,  find  profitable  employment  in  such  work.  For  our  New 
England  conditions  it  will  usually  increase  his  chances  of  success  if  he 
is  proficient  in  other  agricultural  activities  as  well  as  in  orcharding; 
for  example,  if  he  can  manage  a dairy  or  poultry  plant,  as  well  as  an 
orchard,  he  is  doubly  sure  of  a position  because  the  majority  of  our 
New  England  farms  and  estates  are  not  devoted  entirely  to  one  line, 
but  combine  two  or  more  agricultural  specialties. 

Third,  there  is  always  a call  for  teachers  in  pomology,  both  in 
colleges  and  in  secondary  schools.  For  several  years  there  have  been 
more  of  these  teaching  positions  than  the  department  has  had  quali- 
fied men  to  recommend,  and  at  the  rate  at  which  courses  in  agri- 
culture and  horticulture  are  being  introduced  into  schools  this  demand 
will  certainly  increase.  Closely  allied  with  this  work  is  that  of  “ ex- 
tension teacher  in  pomology”  and  here  again  the  demand  is  even 
now  ahead  of  the  supply  of  qualified  men  and  is  sure  to  increase 
markedly  in  the  next  few  years. 

Lastly,  there  is  a limited  demand  for  men  to  do  research  work  in 
pomology.  There  are  usually  fewer  men  in  each  class  who  are  quali- 


19 


Students  Setting  Out  Strawberry  Plants 


fied  by  natural  aptitude  and  training  for  this  work  than  for  the  others 
mentioned,  but  when  a young  man  is  qualified  he  can  usually  secure 
an  excellent  position. 

These  are  the  principal  forms  of  pomological  work  in  which  there 
is  a call  for  men.  What  remuneration  the  young  man.  receives  for  his 
services  depends  entirely  on  the  man  himself.  There  is  never  any 
dearth  of  paying  positions  for  the  man  who  has  executive  ability, 
who  has  some  practical  experience,  and  above  all  who  is  willing  to 
work.  In  fact  the  pomological  market  is  like  every  other  market: 
there  is  never  enough  of  the  best. 

The  department  of  pomology  is  one  of  the  most  popular  at  the 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  College.  The  classroom  instruction  is 
supplemented  by  practical  work  in  spraying  and  pruning,  also  in 
grading,  packing,  and  judging  fruit;  extensive  orchards  at  the  college 
and  in  its  vicinity,  and  a fruit  packing  and  storage  building  furnish 
excellent  laboratories  for  students  specializing  in  pomology.  Every 
year  a large  number  of  men  graduate  from  the  institution,  efficiently 
trained  and  in  some  cases  thoroughly  prepared  to  successfully  pursue 
a vocation  along  some  of  the  lines  here  described. 


20 


Clark  Hall  — Botany 


Botany  and  Plant  Pathology 

The  department  of  botany  at  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural 
College  is  remarkably  well  equipped  to  give  the  student  a thorough 
training  in  botany  with  especial  emphasis  on  plant  pathology  and 
physiology.  The  building  devoted  to  this  work  is  provided  with  two 
large,  well  lighted  laboratories,  and  a number  of  special  rooms  for 
graduate  work.  Annexed  to  the  building  is  a greenhouse  which  is 
used  entirely  for  experiment  purposes  and  contains  several  aquaria 
for  growing  aquatic  plants. 

The  botanical  courses  during  the  first  two  years  are  designed 
primarily  to  give  fundamental  training  in  the  science.  The  junior 
and  senior  courses  are  elective.  Such  subjects  as  plant  anatomy, 
histology,  ecology,  physiology,  and  pathology  are  covered  in  a very 
practical  way  and  not  only  afford  a fundamental  training  but  are  well 
adapted  for  those  intending  to  specialize  in  general  agriculture,  ento- 
mology, or  chemistry.  Some  of  them  might  be  called  “information 
courses that  is,  they  are  designed  to  supply  knowledge  of  a prac- 
tical nature  to  the  students  electing  practical  courses. 


21 


The  vocational  subjects  taught  in  this  department  include, 
among  others,  the  course  in  plant  pathology  which  is  devoted  entirely 
to  the  study  of  the  diseases  of  economic  plants,  and  is  of  sufficiently 
wide  scope  to  afford  a thorough  foundation  in  the  subject  and  to  fit 
the  student  for  experiment  station  work,  for  which  trained  men  are 
always  in  demand.  There  is  usually  sufficient  time  for  work  on  some 
original  problem  for  those  electing  senior  courses  in  this  subject. 
Another  vocational  subject  is  plant  physiology,  which  is  coordinated 
with  chemistry  and  furnishes  training  for  experiment  station  work 
or  teaching.  , 

A course  entitled  “shade  tree  management”  is  also  given. 
This  embraces  a thorough  study  of  all  the  factors  affecting  shade  trees 
whether  produced  by  fungi  or  other  causes,  and  a study  of  the  struc- 
ture and  function  of  the  tree.  It  is  particularly  planned  for  those 
intending  to  practice  tree  surgery,  spraying  and  pruning,  and  affords 
a thorough  and  technical  knowledge  of  the  subject. 

Particular  attention  is  also  given  to  the  various  diseases  infecting 
all  agricultural  crops  grown  in  Massachusetts;  a careful  study  is 
made  of  the  characteristics,  method  of  infection,  and  manner  of  con- 
trol of  diseases  of  fruit,  vegetables,  grain,  greenhouse  plants,  and 
shade  trees. 

The  chief  vocations  in  botany  are  found  in  teaching,  investiga- 
tional work,  and  in  expert  service  in  municipal,  state  or  government 
employ.  There  is  constant  though  not  excessive  demand  for  well 
trained  men  to  fill  attractive  positions  of  the  types  indicated. 


22 


General  and  Agricultural  Chemistry 


The  courses  in  chemistry  at  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural 
College  are  arranged  for  a twofold  purpose: 

They  are  intended  to  give  to  every  student  entering  the  college 
a good  understanding  of  the  elementary  principles  of  the  subject  such 
as  an  educated  person  should  possess.  Every  college  man  should 
know,  and  the  college  intends  to  teach,  the  chemistry  of  the  common 
things  of  life  — such  as  the  air  breathed,  the  food  eaten,  the  water 
drunk,  and  the  clothes  worn.  The  college  man  should  have,  further, 
a general  understanding  of  the  chemistry  of  digestion  and  the  relation 
of  chemistry  to  sanitation.  It  is  also  important  for  him,  as  a practical 
man  of  the  world  whatever  his  occupation,  to  know  something  about 
the  chemistry  of  iron,  steel,  oils,  paints,  and  cements.  If  he  is  to 
follow  agriculture  as  a vocation,  he  should  know  the  general  com- 
position and  reactions  of  soils,  fertilizers,  insecticides,  and  fungicides. 
Of  equal  importance  is  a good  understanding  of  the  chemistry  of 
plant  and  animal  life,  together  with  the  composition  and  nutritive 
value  of  such  agricultural  products  as  cattle  feeds,  maple  sugar  and 


Chemistry  Laboratory 


23 


maple  syrup,  milk,  butter,  cheese,  alcohol,  paper,  wood  pulp,  and 
the  like.  Several  courses  are  intended  to  give  the  student  instruc- 
tion which,  without  being  too  technical  in  character,  will  enable  him 
to  understand  chemical  principles,  and  to  apply  them  to  the  ordinary 
life  processes  and  to  the  agricultural  industries. 

Courses  are  also  planned  for  students  who  may  desire  to  special- 
ize in  chemistry.  The  object  of  the  strictly  chemical  course  is  to  give 
men  a thorough  training  so  that  they  can  take  advanced  work  in  any 
department  of  the  science.  The  course  is  also  intended  to  fit  men 
for  teachers  in  high  schools;  for  assistants  in  college  chemical  labora- 
tories; for  analysts  in  fertilizer,  cattle  food,  and  sugar  factories;  for 
assistant  chemists  in  municipal  and  experiment  station  control  labora- 
tories; and  for  assistants  in  the  research  laboratories  of  the  experi- 
ment stations. 

There  is  a reasonably  good  demand  for  men  who  are  willing  to 
devote  a few  years  to  advanced  study  along  these  lines,  and  who  can 
prove  their  worth  as  faithful  workers  and  careful  investigators.  The 
department  cannot  promise  positions  to  any  of  its  students.  It  does 
make  an  effort  to  secure  places  for  all  men  whom  it  regards  as  well 
trained  and  worthy.  It  refuses  to  recommend  any  man  who  does  not 
measure  up  to  its  requirements. 


24 


Laboratory  for  Entomology 


Entomology 

The  close  and  important  relation  of  insects  to  the  raising  of  crops 
demands  some  knowledge  of  the  subject  for  workers  in  nearly  every 
department  of  agriculture.  The  field  of  entomology  is  very  extensive,, 
about  five-sixths  of  all  living  things  being  insects.  Anything  like  a 
complete  knowledge  of  insects,  therefore,  can  be  obtained  only  by  the 
specialist.  The  assistance  of  trained  entomologists  is  constantly 
needed  in  solving  the  problems  of  protection  from  and  the  control  of 
insect  pests.  Men  trained  in  such  work  obtain  positions  in  experi- 
ment stations,  as  state  entomologists  and  in  the  entomological  work 
of  the  United  States  government,  and  also  as  teachers  of  the  subject 
in  colleges  and  other  educational  institutions.  The  education  of  men 
teaching  agriculture  in  high  schools,  which  is  a rapidly  broadening 
vocation,  should  include  a good  knowledge  of  insect  pests  and  their 
control.  In  all  the  lines  named  the  demand  for  well  trained  men  has 
thus  far  exceeded  the  supply. 

Work  in  these  places  (except  teaching)  consists  largely  in  the 
investigation  of  the  life  histories  and  methods  of  control  of  those  pests 


25 


of  which  this  knowledge  has  not  been  as  yet  obtained;  the  answering 
of  letters  and  questions  which  come  in  large  numbers  from  farmers, 
and  others  suffering  from  the  ravages  of  insects;  the  establishment 
of  parasitic  enemies  of  the  pests;  the  accumulation  of  reference  col- 
lections of  the  different  stages  of  the  various  pests;  and  the  experi- 
mental testing  of  various  methods  of  control. 

The  entomologist  then,  might  be  described  as  an  agricultural 
specialist  who  gives  his  attention  to  clearing  up  the  difficulties  in 
insect  lines,  met  with  by  the  actual  crop  producers,  and  to  the  dis- 
covery of  ways  in  which  loss  by  insects  may  be  reduced  or  avoided. 

For  all  these  vocations,  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College 
offers  as  good  a training  as  may  be  secured  anywhere  in  the  United 
States.  One  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped  entomological  labora- 
tories in  the  country  is  devoted  to  the  department.  Here  are  studied 
from  specimens  the  characteristic  forms  of  the  various  types  of 
insects.  Work  is  required  in  collecting  and  classifying  insects.  To 
this  institution  perhaps  more  than  to  any  other  in  the  United  States 
do  calls  constantly  come  for  men  thoroughly  trained  in  entomology, 
to  undertake  the  solution  of  the  difficult  and  serious  problems  con- 
nected with  this  science. 


Microbiology 

Those  living  forms  which  are  beyond  the  range  of  the  human  eye 
include  within  their  sphere  of  activities  many  of  the  important  phe- 
nomena or  realities  of  nature  and  life.  They  are  in  the  air  we  breathe, 
the  water  we  drink,  the  food  we  eat  and  the  soil  we  tread.  They  cause 
many  of  the  changes  which  we  seek  and  many  which  we  antagonize; 
they  work  for  and  against  man.  The  province  of  microbiology  is  to 
foster  these  organisms  in  their  operations  favorable  to  man,  and  to 
hinder  or  prevent  them  in  those  which  produce  injury  to  man. 


26 


This  work  calls  for  men  to  expend  their  energies  in  several  direc- 
tions. There  must  be  specialists  in  microbiology  who  will  concern 
themselves  with  dairy  operations,  beginning  with  milk  production 
and  following  the  milk  through  to  the  consumer  as  milk,  butter, 
cheese,  or  other  milk  products.  Specialists  are  needed  to  devote  their 
efforts  to  soil  microbiology,  for  in  this  branch  of  science  are  found 
most  of  the  changes  occurring  in  the  soil;  these  changes  must  be 
known  and  be  made  the  subjects  of  control. 

Food  supervision  becomes  of  greater  importance  each  advancing 
day;  through  its  preservation  and  decomposition  in  the  processes  of 
drying,  canning,  brining,  and  refrigerating,  a wide  range  of  possi- 
bilities arises  and  trained  men  are  needed.  Sanitary  studies  are 
largely  based  upon  microbiology;  through  these  channels  the  life  of 
the  nation  is  to  be  protected,  and  here  is  an  opportunity  to  serve 
effectively.  In  veterinary  and  medical  work  perhaps  no  science  is 
receiving  more  attention  than  microbiology,  for  in  it  are  found  the 
causes  of  many  diseases  as  well  as  their  cure. 

Whether  the  microbiologist  acts  in  the  field  of  instruction,  of 
research,  or  of  control,  experience  has  found  it  to  be  a small  niche 
which  an  individual  man  can  fill  with  credit  to  himself  and  the  world. 
He  should  be  familiar  with  the  whole  subject  of  microbiology  and  its 
correlated  branches  and  with  the  essence  of  his  specialty  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  express  wisdom  and  effectiveness. 

The  following  of  agricultural  practices  calls  for  at  least  a working 
acquaintance  with  micro-organisms.  The  nature  of  the  soil  and  its 
cultivation,  the  biological  significance  of  drainage  and  fertilization, 
the  value  of  leguminous  and  other  crops,  the  management  of  the 
dairy,  the  dangers  from  infectious  or  contagious  diseases  among 
animals  and  in  the  home,  the  sanitary  features  of  the  home  and 
stables,  the  care  of  food,  and  many  other  features  involve  a knowl- 
edge of  micro-organisms  which  should  be  more  than  passing. 

Men  attracted  by  work  of  this  character  will  find  extensive 
courses  offered  at  their  state  agricultural  college. 


2 7 


Veterinary  Laboratory 


Veterinary  Science 

The  business  of  the  man  trained  in  veterinary  science  is  one  of  the 
firmly  established  agricultural  professions  and  is  one  which  will 
always  offer  attractive  opportunities  to  the  person  adapted  to  this 
character  of  work,  and  who  thoroughly  prepares  himself  for  the 
profession. 

The  demand  for  well  qualified  veterinarians  was  never  as  great 
as  at  the  present  time.  One  reason  for  this  is  the  increase  in  value  of 
farm  animals,  which  amounts  in  many  cases  to  a doubling  of  the 
value  of  ten  years  ago.  When  values  were  much  lower  than  they  are 
today  the  services  of  the  veterinarian  could  be  dispensed  with,  in 
case  of  sickness,  without  entailing  serious  loss  to  the  stock  owner,  but 
with  present  values  his  services  are  indispensable.  There  are  many 
localities  where  a veterinarian  can  build  up  a lucrative  private  prac- 
tice; this  is  possible  in  stock  raising  sections  that  a few  years  ago 
would  not  have  supported  a practitioner,  owing  largely  to  the  fact 
that  sera  and  vaccines  which  are  used  extensively  in  the  prevention 
of  disease  can  be  administered  only  by  the  registered  veterinarian. 


28 


In  the  United  States  Army  two  veterinarians  for  each  regiment 
of  cavalry  are  required.  The  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture employs  each  year  an  increasing  number  of  veterinarians; 
they  serve  as  executive  officers,  investigators  of  animal  diseases, 
meat  inspectors,  live  stock  agents,  and  quarantine  officers.  In  nearly 
all  states  veterinarians  are  appointed  to  execute  the  laws  relative  to 
quarantine  against  contagious  diseases  from  without  their  borders 
and  the  control  and  eradication  of  them  within.  The  many  state 
agricultural  colleges  and  experiment  stations  employ  one  or  more 
veterinarians  for  teaching  and  investigational  work  relative  to  animal 
diseases.  In  numerous  cities  and  towns  veterinarians  are  employed 
by  boards  of  health  as  inspectors  of  meat,  milk,  dairies,  and  slaughter 
houses. 

For  these  various  state  and  government  positions,  as  well  as  for 
private  work,  the  demand  is  for  the  man  best  qualified  by  study  and 
practice  to  deal  with  the  special  branch  of  the  service  to  which  he  is 
assigned.  There  is  little  opportunity  in  this  profession  for  the  man 
with  only  an  ordinary  training. 

The  courses  in  veterinary  science  included  in  the  curriculum  of 
the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  do  not  lead  to  a special 
veterinary  degree.  Neither  do  they  fully  qualify  one  to  engage  in  any 
line  of  veterinary  practice.  In  the  main  the  veterinary  instruction  is 
supplemental  to  the  courses  in  general  agricultural  science,  although 
it  is  intended  to  be  so  broad  in  its  scope  as  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  practical  stockman  and  the  prospective  student  of  vet- 
erinary or  human  medicine.  It  is  the  aim  of  the  veterinary  depart- 
ment to  guide  the  student  to  a sufficient  general  knowledge  of  animal 
disease  that  he  may  give  stock  such  care  and  treatment  that  diseases 
may  be  prevented  whenever  possible,  and  in  case  of  emergency  to 
render  first  aid  treatment  to  those  that  are  attacked  by  disease. 

In  view  of  the  opportunities  offered  by  the  agricultural  colleges 
for  obtaining  a knowledge  of  the  subjects  so  closely  correlated  with 
the  essential  ones  of  the  special  veterinary  college,  it  is  advisable 
whenever  time  and  means  permit  that  the  prospective  student  of 
veterinary  medicine  should  pursue  a full  four-year  course  in  an  agri- 
cultural school  before  entering  upon  the  work  of  the  strictly  veterinary 
curriculum.  It  is  time  and  money  well  spent  to  thoroughly  fit  one’s 
self  for  a life  work. 


-( ) 


Beekeeping 

it  h as  been  said  that  “ beekeeping  is  the  oldest  art  under  the 
sun.”  True,  but  the  business  of  beekeeping  is  young.  It  is,  more- 
over, becoming  much  diversified  and  sub-divided  into  narrow  special- 
ties. There  is  the  honey  producer;  the  bee-rearer  or  producer,  whose 
sole  aim  throughout  the  season  may  be  to  “make”  more  bees;  there 
is  the  professional  queen-rearer,  whose  business  it  is  to  rear  and  mate 
queen-bees  for  market;  in  some  localities  there  is  a tendency  toward 
specialization  in  wax  production  from  a commercial  standpoint; 
finally  there  are  the  specialists  who  have  become  expert  in  handling 
the  products  of  beekeepers;  in  some  of  these  establishments  many 
tons  of  honey  are  daily  graded,  bottled  and  shipped  to  market. 
Massachusetts  has  her  increasing  share  in  all  of  these  industries. 

With  the  growing  recognition  of  the  young  industry,  comes  the 
demand  from  all  parts  of  the  country  and  even  abroad  for  those  who 
can  teach  and  investigate  or  organize  and  develop  the  industry.  In 
many  states  beekeepers  are  requiring  of  their  beekeeping  specialists 
field  service  in  the  suppression  of  brood-diseases  of  bees.  Already 
the  country  is  looking  to  Massachusetts,  as  a pioneer  in  this  field,  for 
men  and  assistance. 

The  beekeeping  industry  is  already  extensive,  representing  an 
income  to  the  country  of  millions  of  dollars;  but  beekeeping  has  an 
even  greater,  more  important,  and  fundamental  agricultural  aspect 
than  any  yet  enumerated.  It  is  that  inestimable  service  of  the  honey 
bee  in  seed,  vegetable,  and  fruit  production.  It  is  this  horticultural 
relationship  of  beekeeping  which  is  of  deepest  significance  to  Massa- 
chusetts as  well  as  to  the  country,  in  fact  wherever  peaches,  plums, 
cherries,  pears,  apples,  various  berries,  certain  seeds  and  vegetables 
are  grown.  Even  though  horticulturists  till,  fertilize,  prune,  and 
spray,  it  has  been  proven  that  their  harvest  may  fail  unless  the  bees 
are  sufficient  to  pollinate  the  flowers.  So  particularly  dependent  are 
certain  horticultural  specialists,  that  at  least  two  thousand  to  twenty- 
five  hundred  colonies  of  bees  are  annually  utilized  in  the  cucumber 
greenhouses  of  Massachusetts  alone.  Within  the  last  few  years 
Massachusetts  cranberry  growers  have  found  that  honey-bees  assure 
greater  success  in  their  million  dollar  enterprise.  Similarly  field-crop 
growers,  as  of  melons  and  cucumbers,  are  introducing  bees  on  their 


30 


plantations.  Likewise  the  commercial  orchardists,  small-fruit 
growers,  and  the  professional  seed  producers  realize  that  it  is  most 
profitable  to  maintain  apiaries. 

Instruction  in  beekeeping  at  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural 
College  has  primarily  one  aim:  that  of  preparing  the  student  to  go 
forth  equipped  with  a fundamental  knowledge  of  the  industry.  But 
it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  preparation  for  research  and  investi- 
gational work  requires  a broad  training  in  various  other  sciences,  as 
well  as  in  the  art  of  beekeeping. 

In  order  to  meet  the  various  requirements  of  those  attending 
the  institution,  several  courses  are  offered.  For  this  work  the  in- 
structional equipment  includes  an  exceptional  collection  of  apicultural 
and  scientific  literature;  a museum,  which  doubtless  contains  the 
largest  collection  of  products  and  natural  history  specimens,  apicult- 
ural implements,  machinery  and  materials  to  be  found  in  the  world; 
an  apiary  of  about  two  acres  in  which  is  a “bee  garden”  with  a 
collection  of  nectar-yielding  plants;  fifty  colonies  of  bees  of  import- 
ant races  and  types;  and  the  “bee-house,”  a compact,  convenient 
and  modern  apicultural  laboratory,  with  a well  equipped  work-shop, 
wax-rendering  plant,  honey-room,  and  bee-cellar  for  wintering. 


Bee  House 


3 


Agricultural  Education 


The  number  of  opportunities  are  increasing  rapidly  for  persons 
prepared  to  teach  agriculture  in  secondary  schools.  Eight  or  ten 
years  ago  there  was  no  appreciable  demand  for  teachers  of  agriculture 
outside  of  the  agricultural  colleges.  Today  the  high  schools  of  the 
country  are  asking  for  more  teachers  of  agriculture  than  they  can 
obtain.  In  1913  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  received 
requests  for  nearly  forty  men  to  teach  agriculture.  The  demand  is 
always  for  well  qualified  men;  the  requirements  named  are  experience 
in  practical  farm  life,  a study  of  scientific  and  technical  agriculture, 
and  a study  of  the  principles  and  methods  of  teaching  the  subject  as 
well  as  some  experience  in  teaching.  It  is  difficult  to  find  men  having 
all  of  these  qualifications;  for  this  reason  the  wages  are  better  than 
for  those  prepared  to  teach  in  departments  that  are  overcrowded 
with  experts. 

In  addition  to  the  routine  work  of  teaching,  the  widespread  and 
growing  interest  in  boys’  and  girls’  agricultural  clubs,  and  in  school 
gardens,  is  demanding  both  men  and  women  to  direct  this  work. 
A number  of  cities  are  promoting  home  and  school  gardens.  They 
are  seeking  as  directors  of  this  work  men  who  have  both  practical 
and  professional  training.  This  movement  in  garden  work  seems 
destined  to  result  in  a large  amount  of  summer  work  for  those  who  are 
prepared  to  direct  it.  A feature  that  should  appeal  to  teachers  who 
wish  a pleasant  and  profitable  vocation  is  that  the  work  takes  them 
out  in  the  open. 

The  college  offers  opportunities  for  scientific  and  technical 
studies  as  well  as  professional  study  in  the  principles  and  methods  of 
teaching.  Plans  are  under  consideration  for  giving  candidates  some 
practice  in  teaching  as  a part  of  their  preparation. 


32 


School  Gardens  — M.  A.  C.  Grounds 


Rural  Leadership 

The  need  of  training  rural  leaders  along  business  and  social  lines 
has  been  voiced  by  many  thinkers.  The  Massachusetts  Agricultural 
College  is  probably  the  first  institution  in  the  United  States  that  has 
attempted  to  meet  this  need  by  developing  departments  of  agri- 
cultural economics  and  rural  sociology.  These  departments  offer  a 
series  of  courses  that  are  intended  to  fit  students  for  important  voca- 
tional positions  in  rural  social  service. 

Excellent  opportunities  are  offered  by  agricultural  colleges,  state 
boards  of  agriculture,  and  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, especially  in  its  new  Bureau  of  Rural  Organization,  for  college 
men  trained  in  the  economics  and  sociology  of  rural  life.  The  demand 
for  men  to  enter  these  inviting  fields  is  much  greater  than  the  supply. 

The  widespread  interest  in  agricultural  credit,  business  coopera- 
tion among  farmers,  and  generally  a greater  efficiency  in  the  market- 
ing of  farm  products  is  also  calling  for  leadership  in  these  activities. 
Not  a few  farmers  with  broad  minds  as  well  as  broad  acres  are  asking 
for  a new  type  of  social  secretary  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  their 
workers  and  the  development  of  community  interests.  Also  in  con- 
nection with  the  recreational,  sanitary,  and  religious  interests  of 
country  communities  is  there  an  increasing  call  for  men  who  have 


33 


expert  knowledge  of  the  psychology,  conditions,  and  tendencies  of 
rural  life,  together  with  a real  love  for  country  people.  This  call 
comes  especially  from  leaders  in  the  churches,  the  county  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
boards  of  health,  and  philanthropic  organizations.  Professor  Fiske, 
of  Oberlin,  says,  “Both  the  need  and  the  worthiness  of  rural  life,  its 
social  and  religious  crisis,  and  its  strategic  signs  of  promise,  bring  the 
challenge  of  the  country  to  the  man  in  college.” 

There  is  a growing  consciousness  everywhere  that  country  life, 
which  has  so  long  been  neglected  in  its  economic  and  social  aspects, 
should  at  last  receive  the  recognition  that  it  deserves.  With  this 
consciousness,  we  may  expect  a broader  field  for  rural  leadership  and  a 
growing  appreciation  of  its  service. 

Perhaps  the  finest  opportunity  which  presents  itself  to  a graduate 
from  an  agricultural  college,  is  that  of  establishing  himself  in  a rural 
community  and,  if  he  possess  the  necessary  qualities,  becoming  a 
leader  not  only  in  his  own  vocation,  but  also  in  various  matters  of 
general  community  interest.  Thus,  if  he  be  a farmer,  he  may  through 
his  own  economic  success  do  much  to  better  the  farming  conditions 
of  his  associates  and  he  may  at  the  same  time  exercise  large  influence 
in  the  social,  recreational,  and  educational  life  of  his  town.  Or,  if  he 
chooses  the  profession  of  teaching,  medicine,  or  the  ministry,  he  has  a 
similar  opportunity  to  make  his  personality  and  leadership  felt  in  the 
large  problems  confronting  the  community. 


Graduate  Work  in  Agriculture 

When  agricultural  colleges  were  first  organized  and  experiment 
stations  established,  the  character  of  the  work  was  largely  the  exten- 
sion to  the  new  field  of  agriculture  of  such  knowledge  as  was  already 
available.  Instruction  assumed  more  the  role  of  secondary  education 
than  college  training.  Research  was  merely  confirmation  and  testing. 
Out  of  this  incipient  stage,  agricultural  education  has  been  advancing 
to  that  of  the  highest  professional  plane,  and  research  to  that  which 


34 


is  needed  for  the  solution  of  the  most  intricate  subjects  in  agriculture. 
Here  is  a field  for  agriculturists,  agronomists,  animal  husbandrymen, 
beekeepers,  botanists,  chemists,  dairymen,  economists,  entomologists, 
floriculturists,  landscape  gardeners,  microbiologists,  physiologists, 
pomologists,  sociologists,  vegetable  gardeners,  teachers,  and  others. 

This  condition  of  intensity  has  reached  beyond  institutional 
walls  and  penetrated  the  domain  of  industries  and  actual  agricultural 
practices.  Park  commissions  are  using  landscape  gardeners;  estates 
employ  farm  managers;  beet-sugar  plants  employ  trained  agricul- 
turists and  chemists;  milk  plants  require  dairymen  and  bacteriolo- 
gists; canneries  use  bacteriologists  and  gardeners;  fruitmen  employ 
men  who  are  plant  physiologists  or  plant  physicians;  implement 
manufacturers  prefer  men  with  agricultural  experience;  states  must 
have  their  entomologists,  foresters,  botanists,  chemists,  bacteriolo- 
gists; and  so  on  indefinitely  into  the  many  phases  of  commercial  and 
industrial  life  closely  allied  to  agriculture. 

Another  feature  is  developing  in  the  actual  managing  and  con- 
ducting of  farms.  It  is  being  realized  that  there  are  so  many  compli- 
cated processes  of  nature  involved  in  farming,  and  so  much  demanded 
in  capacity,  that  intensive  training  and  peculiar  experience  are 
wanted.  Progress  does  not  consist  in  passing  on  from  generation  to 
generation  traditional  and  empirical  methods  but  in  the  introducing 
of  known  facts  or  established  knowledge  into  the  constant  remodeling 
of  the  daily  duties  of  farm  life.  Only  a man  who  possesses  such  knowl- 
edge (devoid  of  traditional  prejudice),  capacity,  ingenuity,  initiative, 
and  a thorough  knowledge  of  practice  as  recognized  at  the  present, 
can  be  expected  to  throw  off  the  shackles  of  age  and  produce  a modern 
and  scientific  agriculture. 

Because  of  these  circumstances,  (as  has  been  found  in  every  other 
profession  so  in  agriculture)  there  must  in  some  cases  be  a more 
extended  training  and  an  accumulation  of  varied  experience  before 
a young  man  can  pass  out  into  life  and  be  successful. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  College  is  prepared,  through  its 
graduate  school,  to  train  specialists  in  many  of  the  branches  to  which 
reference  is  here  made. 


35 


Agricultural  Experiment  Station  Work 


The  number  of  men  highly  qualified  for  experiment  station  work 
is  not  equal  to  the  demand,  - and  if  a young  man  has  reason  to  believe 
that  he  has  ability  in  that  direction  there  is  every  reason  why  he 
should  plan  to  follow  this  as  a vocation.  Every  young  man,  however,, 
in  fixing  upon  his  life  work  will  wish  to  consider  its  opportunities.  The 
principal  factors  which  are  likely  to  influence  him  are: 

1.  The  certainty  of  employment. 

2.  The  financial  prospects. 

3.  His  natural  fitness  for  the  occupation. 

4.  The  opportunities  which  it  will  afford  for  service. 

5.  The  time  and  cost  required  to  make  the  necessary  prepara- 

tion. 


1.  The  Certainty  of  Employment 
There  is  a large  and  constantly  broadening  field  of  investigation 
open  to  the  experiment  stations  — a field  which  will  certainly  afford 
employment  for  all  young  men  with  natural  talent  and  ability  in 
investigation;  and,  since  the  proportion  of  individuals  gifted  by 
nature  and  fitted  by  training  for  this  kind  of  work  must  always  be 
relatively  small,  there  appears  not  the  slightest  prospect  that  the 
ranks  of  thoroughly  qualified  station  workers  will  become  over- 
crowded. 

2.  Financial  Opportunities 

In  the  direction  of  prospective  salary,  experiment  station  work 
will  not  satisfy  the  ambitions  of  men  who  attach  great  importance  to 
the  possession  of  wealth.  The  salaries  commanded  even  by  the  best 
of  experiment  station  investigators  are  moderate  or  even  small  as 
compared  with  those  commanded  by  men  of  no  greater  ability  engaged 
in  many  lines  of  business  or  professional  work.  The  young  man, 
therefore,  who  wishes  to  be  rich  above  everything  else  will  not  engage 
in  station  work.  On  the  other  hand  the  salaries  are  sufficient  to 
satisfy  all  reasonable  needs  and  the  probability  is  that  with  the  in- 
creasing recognition  of  the  value  of  investigational  work  in  agri- 
culture, the  salaries  of  the  future  will  be  relatively  more  generous  than 
those  of  today. 


36 


One  of  the  Experiment  Station  Buildings 


j.  The  Interest  of  the  Work 

Who  does  not  know  the  intense  interest  connected  with  dis- 
covery? There  can  be  nothing  more  fascinating  than  the  search  for 
and  discovery  of  facts,  principles,  and  laws  which  are  additions  to  the 
sum  of  human  knowledge.  It  is  true  that  the  discovery  of  new  prin- 
ciples and  laws  is  not  easy  and  it  is  also  true  that  it  often  requires  a 
large  amount  of  routine  work  which  to  the  outsider  may  seem  like 
drudgery.  No  such  work,  however,  can  be  drudgery  to  the  true  in- 
vestigator for  he  will  always  recognize  the  essential  nature  of  such 
work  and  is  ever  looking  forward  with  hope  to  the  time  when  he  shall 
establish  a principle  or  a law  which  no  one  has  ever  known  before. 

4.  Opportunities  for  Service 

No  one  who  is  familiar  with  the  present  state  of  knowledge  of  the 
scientific  principles  which  underlie  farm  practice  can  doubt  the 
breadth  of  the  field  for  further  discovery.  The  number  of  unsolved 
problems  is  far  greater  than  the  number  of  those  that  have  been 
solved.  We  already  know  enough  to  feel  certain  that  this  is  the  case, 
but  as  our  knowledge  increases  the  breadth  of  our  view  increases  also, 
and  the  investigator  of  future  years  will  delve  in  fields  which  now 
are  not  even  dreamed  of.  Whatever  adds  to  the  sum  of  human  knowl- 


^7 


edge  is  of  service  or  will  be  of  service  sooner  or  later  to  the  humaii 
race.  No  one  can  measure  the  value  of  the  discovery  of  Hellreigel  and 
Welfarth  that  bacteria  living  in  symbiotic  relationship  with  legumes 
in  the  nodules  on  their  roots  give  these  plants  the  capacity  to  make 
use  of  free  atmospheric  nitrogen.  There  can  be  no  question,  however, 
that  this  single  discovery  is  worth  more  to  the  agriculture  of  the 
world  than  all  that  has  ever  been  spent  on  agricultural  investigation 
the  world  over.  Every  right-minded  young  man  is  fired  with  an  am- 
bition to  serve  the  human  race.  There  is  no  field  in  which  this  ambi- 
tion is  more  likely  to  be  gratified  than  in  the  highest  type  of  experi- 
ment station  work. 

5.  The  Amount  of  Preparation  Required 

This  consideration  should  not  be  given  undue  weight.  If  a man 
has  ability  and  talent  as  an  investigator  nothing  should  prevent  his 
devoting  himself  to  that  work,  and  where  the  talent  and  the  desire  to 
engage  in  such  work  exist,  a way  to  meet  the  requirements  can  un- 
doubtedly be  found.  The  time  has  gone  by  when  a man  desiring  to 
engage  in  such  work  should  be  satisfied  with  an  inferior  preparation. 
No  one  can  expect  to  make  satisfactory  progress  as  an  investigator 
who  does  not  first  take  a thorough  four  years’  college  course,  and  who 
does  not  in  addition  take  a post  graduate  course  in  which  he  carries 
out  a piece  of  thorough  scientific  work  as  a preliminary  to  obtaining 
an  advanced  degree.  In  many  cases  it  will  be  preferable,  after  having 
completed  the  four  years’  college  course,  to  engage  for  a year  or  two 
in  station  work.  This  is  desirable  for  two  reasons:  first,  it  will  give 
the  young  man  an  insight  into  the  nature  of  such  work  and  he  will  be 
in  a position  to  make  up  his  mind  more  surely  as  to  whether  it  is 
attractive  to  him;  and  second,  he  will  gain  a most  valuable  insight 
into  the  nature  of  the  preparation  for  the  work  required  and  will 
therefore  take  up  his  graduate  work  with  a broader  vision  and  in- 
creased determination  to  do  the  work  in  the  most  thorough  manner 
possible. 


38 


Agricultural  Extension  Service 


The  field  in  agriculture  which  is  perhaps  offering  the  most  attract- 
ive opportunities  to  young  men  and  women  interested  in  this  subject 
is  that  of  extension  work.  For  the  first  thirty-five  or  forty  years 
after  the  passage  by  Congress  in  1862  of  the  Morrill  land  grant  act 
establishing  the  agricultural  colleges,  these  institutions  devoted  their 
time  chiefly  to  teaching  college  students  and  carrying  on  research  and 
experimental  work.  These  two  lines  are  still  being  developed  with 
even  more  vigor  and  thoroughness,  but  in  the  last  decade  a third  line 
of  work,  that  of  carrying  out  to  the  people  the  teachings  of  the  college 
and  the  results  of  the  research  work  of  the  experiment  station,  has 
come  rapidly  to  the  front.  The  intense  interest  in  and  rapid  growth  of 
extension  work  in  this  country  is  due  to  changed  economic  conditions, 
and  to  a realization  on  the  part  of  all  the  people  — city  and  country 
dwellers  alike  — that  the  great  problem  in  agricultural  education 
today  is  to  carry  to  the  people  on  the  farms  the  vast  fund  of  knowl- 
edge possessed  by  our  colleges  and  experiment  stations. 

Extension  service  is  neither  advertising  a college  nor  carrying  on 
popular  forms  of  propaganda  work.  It  is  a sane,  dignified,  and  sys- 
tematic attempt  to  teach  to  the  people  of  a state  the  latest  known 
facts  in  agricultural  science  and  to  demonstrate  to  them  the  best 
methods  of  farm  practice. 

During  the  last  six  years  more  than  forty  of  our  agricultural 
colleges  and  state  universities  have  established  departments  of  ex- 
tension work.  Legislation  is  pending  in  most  of  the  remaining  states, 
and  proposed  Federal  legislation  giving  support  for  this  work  to  the 
several  states  will  enable  those  already  engaged  in  this  service  to  en- 
large it  in  a considerable  degree.  Extension  service  in  this  country 
is  hardly  even  in  its  infancy  and  development  will  no  doubt  be  rapid 
during  the  next  few  years. 

The  field  of  extension  work  is  as  broad  as  agriculture  and  the 
sciences  related  to  it.  Men  and  women  will  be  needed  as  general  ad- 
ministrators and  organizers  of  the  work.  Specialists  are  being  called 
for  in  large  numbers  to  render  service  in  dairying,  animal  husbandry, 
poultry  husbandry,  farm  management,  soils  and  crops,  fruit  growing, 
boys’  and  girls’  agricultural  clubs,  home  economics,  rural  sanitation, 


39 


agricultural  engineering,  agricultural  surveys,  teachers  of  agriculture 
in  high  schools  who  can  also  advise  with  farmers,  county  agricultural 
advisers  and  demonstrators,  community  service  work,  farmers’  co- 
operative organizations,  and  rural  credit. 

In  training  themselves  for  work  in  the  extension  field,  young  men 
and  women  should  secure  a thorough  education  in  English  and  public 
speaking,  the  sciences,  especially  chemistry,  geology,  entomology, 
botany,  and  physics.  Technical  work  in  soils,  crops,  animal  hus- 
bandry, dairying,  poultry,  fruit  growing  and  other  horticultural  sub- 
jects, economics,  and  sociology,  are  absolutely  fundamental.  The 
practical  side  of  farming,  the  conditions  in  and  needs  of  our  rural 
life,  must  be  learned  either  prior  to  entering  college  or  after  gradua- 
tion before  one  can  hope  for  much  success  in  extension  service. 

To  such  as  possess  the  proper  qualifications  and  are  willing  to 
acquire  the  necessary  technical  training  and  practical  experience, 
extension  work  offers  at  the  present  time,  so  far  as  financial 
remuneration  and  opportunity  for  service  are  concerned,  a field  of 
labor  than  which  there  is  no  other  of  greater  importance  among 
the  agricultural  vocations. 


40 


